Smoke
by iworkshiplucyh
Summary: A conversation between Aria and Ezra, feelings involved. One-shot


**Just a little something I had in my head. I wanted to share it and see what you think about it. I really liked the idea of Ezria talking after she says the story about the train in 6x11, where she confesses that she would not feel safe if Charlotte was released.**

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The smoke that came from the cigarette caught Ezra's eye. Aria didn't use to smoke when they were together.

He sat in the bench, next to her. She didn't look at him and he didn't ask her to. They just sat in silence the following minutes, until Aria finished her cigarette.

Then she took out a cigar case from her jacket and took another cigar out. Then she offered him one, and Ezra reached out for it, holding the cigarette between two of his fingers, unable to spoke to her.

She also took out a lighter and lit both cigars. Ezra took ad drag of his, suddenly feeling how the sun was setting, starting to go down and hiding. The cold breeze touched his face, but he didn't care.

Aria looked at the horizon, sighting, and then she smoked from her own cigarette.

-You were in Charlottes court. -Ezra heard the sound of his own voice. -I didn't think you were going to be so honest about everything.

-I was there for five minutes and I hated every second of it. – She stated, with the cigarette on her lips again immediately after saying it.

-That's why you're here sitting alone with your mind, a cigar and the skyline? -He said ironically. -Because I don't think so, you don't sit alone just because you hate courts or statements. There's something bothering you.

-You know me too well.

-Perks of being me.

-I was trying to clear my head. There are a lot of things going round and round in my mind. -She let the smoke get out between her lips as she spoke, but she did not look at him. – Why were you there? No, wait. Why are you here?

He lifted his shoulders as a response to her question. – I got out and saw you here alone from the other side of the street. When did you start smoking?

-I started in the moment I put one feet in Rosewood again. I lived here for 18 years and now I hate this town.

-They also asked me to testify, you know. -He confessed. – As a direct witness of the things Charlotte did to you as -A, I almost accepted.

-What did they wanted you to testify?

-The night I found you and you got out of the dollhouse. The night you found out Charlotte was -A. The night she blew up Toby's house. Things that happened five years ago and I can't barely remember now. But I can remember your face in each of those nights. And how much I felt the need to protect you. I still have that need now, guess that's why I came here when I saw you.

-They're going to let her out. – Aria laughed. – No matter what we say. But anyway, they all have lied. Alison says Cece is okay now, and she's her sister and I know she wants the best for her, but I don't need another thing to be scared about.

-You're heading back to New York, right? When all of this ends.

-I've read your book, good argument.

Ezra hated it when Aria dodged the questions, something she had seem to get better at with the years. She was an expert avoiding conversations, especially when it came to her old life in Rosewood.

-You didn't answer me.- He let his cigarette fall to the floor, and set his shoe over it, putting off the little fire and making part of the smoke disappear.

-I'll go back to NYC when I finish what I need to do here. I haven't finished. I'm a publisher, you're a writer and my boss wants you second book. You know it, and I'm really sorry for your loss about Nicole, but I'm here to…- Aria stuttered with the words in the middle of the sentence. – I'm here to get you sober and get you to write again.

-Well, well, well. Secrets coming out at last.-Ezra laughed and took a hip-flask out of the pocket in his jacket. – Maybe I don't want to be sober and I don't want to write. I write better things when I'm not me, anyway.-Aria finally turned her head to look at him.

-That's a joke. – She lifted her eyebrows and he set his eyes on hers.-Oh, you're being serious?- Ezra just drunk from the hip-flask as an answer.- Stop drinking, we're talking.

-You're just like the rest of them, wolves looking for the money. Always the money, popularity, cheeks with four zeros on them, full bank accounts. That's not enough to live. No, money isn't nothing if you can't have the only thing you really want.-He said, with a bitter voice.- Doesn't matter how I feel.

-Ezra…-Aria put off her cigarette too.- I want to know how you feel.

-That's the difference between us, Aria. I came here not because I want to know how you feel after something as hard as having to testify in a court, but because I actually care about it. I care, you don't.

-How can you say I don't care? I do care!

-No, you don't. It isn't true. Did you care when you went to L.A. and didn't call? Not even once. And then when you didn't call me in the whole summer, I gave you time. But you haven't called in 5 years and sending letters isn't keeping the contact with me. You left and now that you're back with your excuses, I still caring, because I'm an idiot. But you know what? This is me now, I'm not the innocent Ezra you met and knew, and I'm not going to do whatever you want this time. I'll do whatever I want. If I want to be wasted all day, I can.

-What the heck has happened to you? Apart from an obvious lack of conscience and self-stem.

-When you left, I thought I could move on. And Nicole was the best thing that could have happened to me then. She saw something else in me, something special. And I didn't understand it, but she said I could do whatever I wanted, because I had that in me, I had the capacity to do that, to rule my own life. Losing her was like taking another shot. She was so full of life and…-Ezra couldn't keep on talking, so he sipped again from the flask.

Aria put her hand on Ezra's shoulder. -You loved her.

-I loved her as well as I could, I had finally found someone that actually was there for me when I needed it, Aria. I loved you with all I had, but this relationship had only one way to end. And now that I've proved to you my words, I know I was right after all this time.

-What are you talking about?- Aria didn't understand it.

-I am just your high school teacher. As I told you.

-Ezra, you seriously need to stop drinking. It isn't good for you.

-Nothing is good for me! You shouldn't smoke either. But here you are.- Ezra drunk again and frowned.-But you know what? I don't care anymore. Enjoy this life, you won't make it out alive.-Aria looked at him.

-You need to stop drinking.

-You need to stop telling me what to do, Miss Montgomery.

-My boss is going to get very mad at you, she wants the second book, Ezra.

-You can tell her that I don't need the money she gave me, she can have it. There's no second book. The story ended with the first. She has to learn that every story ends.

-You're so fucking stubborn.-Aria complained, obviously bothered by Ezra's attitude.

-I was born this way, honey.-He got up and walked towards The Brew without even saying goodbye.

Aria didn't follow him. She just stayed seat on the bench and light another bum up. Something inside of her told her that it wasn't the last time she was going to hear about Ezra Fitz while she was going to stay in Rosewood.


End file.
